The resource page advises on a change to the recommended maternity leave policy within the BMA Model Contract, which is applicable to GMS/PMS practices employing general practitioner colleagues.
This change extends the number of weeks for which half maternity pay can be received from 14 to 18 weeks, aligning this with the period of time parental reimbursement can be claimed under the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) for GP cover during this period of absence. It also aligns the total period of maternity absence [8 weeks full pay, and now 18 weeks half pay] with that available to equivalent hospital-based doctors.
Salaried GPs may raise this as an issue, because this change is not automatically updated within any existing salaried GP contract; that has to be undertaken on an individual basis. As an employer, you should write to all employed salaried GPs proposing this variation to their current contractual arrangements: employees are not required to accept this change, and it is possible some employees, not anticipating such a variation will be relevant to them in the future, may not. However, GP employers should document any response to the offer, and ensure this updated change is included in any new contracts that are issued.
All GP practices should ensure they claim their entitlements in relation to parental leave [Part 4 Section 9 of the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE)] [and in parenthesis, Part 4 Section 10, covering sickness leave]. This is not discretionary to ICBs, providing the appropriate conditions are met, for both salaried GPs and partners. For partners, maternity arrangements are a matter for the Partnership Agreement. For salaried colleagues, under Section 9 (3)(iii) maternity leave must be specified within their contract of employment.
The current maternity leave SFE maximum entitlements were altered in October 2024 and in the context of maternity leave are:
Section 9(5)(d) £1211.64 (first two weeks)
Section 9(5)(b) £1856.61 (subsequent eligible weeks)
These are ceilings, the actual reimbursement is based on the lower of the invoiced costs, or the maximum amount payable.
The October 2024 SFE changes were backdated to April 2024, and ICBs should have already contacted practices to provide a supplementary uplift to claims that had already been made and paid between April and September 2024.
Colleagues should note that, unlike the sick leave payments in Section 10, there is no stated time limit for which parental leave payments are made, although ICBs will pay claims up to 26 weeks. For salaried GPs on the BMA Model Contract, their entitlement to paid maternity leave will [unless otherwise negotiated] now be 26 weeks. If a partner has a longer period of maternity leave reimbursed in her Partnership Agreement, they should contact either [email protected] or, [email protected], urgently and preferably prior to the commencement of any maternity leave claims, as this situation needs to be considered on an individual basis and the LMC can support this.
Colleagues may also be interested in the LMC maternity workshops, which are organised and run by [email protected], please contact them directly for further information.
In principle, this Variation could apply to salaried colleagues currently on maternity leave or who have given notice of intended leave. Practices can vary this element of leave during the time in which it is being relied on, but should have an individual discussion with the employee and confirm their changed arrangements with the ICB, up to a maximum of a 26 week claim period, to ensure all parties are aware of this changed contractual entitlement and therefore claim eligibility.